1. Technical Field
This application relates to mobile telecommunications systems in general, having particular application in UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) in general, and in particular relates to an apparatus and method of cell reselection in a wireless telecommunications device operative with a plurality of radio access networks.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a typical cellular radio system, a wireless telecommunication device communicates via one or more radio access radio networks (RAN) to one or more core networks. In UMTS system such devices are typically referred to as User Equipment (UE) and in GSM such devices are typically referred to as Mobile Stations (MS). Such devices comprise various types of equipment such as mobile telephones (also known as cellular or cell phones), lap tops with wireless communication capability, personal digital assistants (PDAs) etc. These may be portable, hand held, pocket sized, installed in a vehicle etc and communicate voice and/or data signals with the radio access network.
In the following, reference will be made to UMTS and GSM and to particular standards. However it should be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular mobile telecommunications system.
A radio access network covers a geographical area divided into a plurality of cell areas. Each cell area is served by at least one base station, which provides the radio link between the mobile device and the radio access network. Each cell is identified by a unique identifier which is broadcast in the cell. The base stations communicate at radio frequencies over an air interface with the UEs within range of the base station. Several base stations may be connected to a radio network controller (RNC) which controls various activities of the base stations. The radio network controllers are typically connected to a core network.
GSM is a second generation public land mobile telecommunication system. UMTS is a third generation public land mobile telecommunication system. Various standardization bodies are known to publish and set standards for UMTS, each in their respective areas of competence. For instance, the 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project) has been known to publish and set standards for GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) based UMTS, and the 3GPP2 (Third Generation Partnership Project 2) has been known to publish and set standards for CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) based UMTS. Within the scope of a particular standardization body, specific partners publish and set standards in their respective areas.
Consider a wireless mobile device that is operable with a plurality of radio access networks. From time to time a mobile device currently operating with a first radio access network may need to change to operate with another radio access network. As described in PCT patent application WO2007/086679 for instance this may result in so-called “ping-ponging” from one radio access network to another. There is a need to reduce this so-called “ping-ponging” of the device.
There are thus proposed strategies for cell reselection in a wireless telecommunications device operative with a plurality of radio access networks. A number of such strategies are detailed below.
Other aspects and features of the proposed strategy will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of an apparatus and method of cell reselection in a wireless telecommunications device operative with a plurality of radio access networks.
The same reference numerals used in different figures denote similar elements.